Page 18 - Desert Lightning News April 7, 2017

18 April 7, 2017 Desert Lightning News www.aerotechnews.com/davis-monthanafb
Facebook.com/DesertLightningNews
55th RQS: ThemaintainersthatkeepHH-60GsFlying by Senior Airman Betty Chevalier
355th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
Editor’s note: This story is part of the “55th RQS series,” which high- lights the different AFSCs associated with the unit.
The 55th Rescue Squadron conducts training missions on a regular basis, but when the HH-60G Pave Hawk is grounded, a completely dif- ferent crew handles the aircraft.
The 55th Helicopter Maintenance Unit, under the 923d Aircraft Main- tenance Squadron, operates 24/7 to make sure the aircraft are ready to fly for scheduled missions and if needed, unscheduled local rescue missions.
“We have to provide aircraft to the 55th RQS while doing our mainte- nance efficiently and safely,” said Staff Sgt. Jose Perez, 55th HMU flying crew chief. “So much goes into our maintenance that requires us to keep our head on a swivel, as to not jeopardize what could be someone’s worst day of his or her life.”
The 55th HMU is responsible for ensuring the rapid mobilization of the HH-60G and the maintenance forces supporting combat and peace- time search and rescue operations.
The unit is comprised of 137 personnel and maintains nine helicop- ters. The HH-60G is a modified version of the U.S. Army UH-60 Black- hawk. Some of the upgraded features include satellite communication, Doppler navigation and global positioning systems.
Staff Sgt. David Evers, 55th HMU communication, navigation and mission systems craftsman, explained how the Pave Hawk got its name.
“PAVE stands for Precision Avionic Vectoring Equipment,” Evers said. “It’s all of the extra avionics equipment such as guidance and controls, color weather radar and personnel locating equipment. These are things that separate our aircraft from what Blackhawks do.”
When an unscheduled or local rescue mission comes down, everyone on shift gives their all to make sure the aircraft are ready to go at a mo- ment’s notice.
“Everyone is trying to do something,” Perez said. “There isn’t a single soul that is sitting down, in a chair or at a table not doing anything to better the situation.”
Although every unit may have last-minute missions, the mindset in search and rescue is completely different than any other mission.
“There is a greater sense of urgency when something like that hap-
U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Betty Chevalier
Staff Sgt. Joseph Drees, 55th Helicopter Maintenance Unit communication, navigation and mission systems journeyman, connects a grounding wire in an HH-60G Pave Hawk during a phase inspection at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base. A phase inspection is a complete teardown of the aircraft parts to check for any cracks or discrepancies.
U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Betty Chevalier
Senior Airman Aaron Diver, 55th Helicopter Maintenance Unit HH-60G maintenance journey- man, marshals an HH-60G Pave Hawk for takeoff March 8 at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base. The 55th HMU is under the 923rd Aircraft Maintenance Squadron and operates 24/7 to make sure the aircraft are ready to fly for any mission.
pens because we all know there are lives on the line,” Evers said. “I first cut my teeth on maintenance working in special operations, and I came to rescue after that. It’s different on those airframes because they have redundant systems, but on the Pave Hawk we don’t have that. There is a single radio for each type and singular equipment so if something goes down it reduces the mission capability, and it makes us less effective to pull these people out of the bad situation they are in.”
In emergency situations, there is a time known as the golden hour. This term refers to the hour immediately following a serious injury and is the period of time that is most critical to a patient’s survival. Since their mission is to ensure the 55th RQS can get off the ground with para- rescuemen, the unit can have a helicopter ready to fly in 10 minutes, according to Perez.
“Everything we do, we try to make sure we are doing it the right way the first time so we don’t have to come back later -- it could affect wheth- er someone lives or dies.”
U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Betty Chevalier
Staff Sgt. Cesar Acosta, 55th Helicopter Maintenance Unit HH-60G hydraulics journeyman, and Airman 1st Class Nicholas Torboli, 55th HMU HH-60G maintenance apprentice, replace parts on an HH-60G Pave Hawk during a phase inspection. Pave Hawks go through a phase inspection every 600 flying hours to check for cracked or damaged parts.